House Approves Expanded Needle Exchange Program For City

Baltimore City Delegate Curt Anderson speaks on the House floor about the needle exchange bill that he sponsored. (WBAL's David Collins)

Delegates Tony O'Donnell, Kelly Schulz and Curt Anderson spoke during the debate on this bill. Download This File

The Maryland House of Delegates has passed a measure to allow drug users to get more than one clean needle at one time in Baltimore's needle exchange program.

The House voted 84-51 Friday for the bill.

The measure repeals a requirement that needles be exchanged on a one-for-one basis. It would limit new needles to 10 for one used one.

Other cities have expanded such programs to cut down on diseases like AIDS that spread by intravenous drug use.

The state Senate also has passed a similar bill, but it does not name a specific number of needles that could be obtained at one time.

A state analysis estimates costs to the city's health department would rise by $19,500 in the next fiscal year with the change in the program.

Baltimore City Delegate Curt Anderson, who sponsored the bill as chairman of the city's House delegation, says city health officials have seen addicts participating in the program get off drugs, because they are given access to drug treatment and counseling programs, when they turn in their needles.

The bill was included in Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's legislative agenda for the year.